Rangers-Angels Preview

With a chance to potentially move into a first-place tie in the division, the visiting Rangers can complete a three-game sweep with a seventh straight victory over the reeling Angels on Wednesday night.

Elvis Andrus had three hits, Adrian Beltre drove in two runs and Yu Darvish completed seven innings as Texas (64-50) scored four times in the ninth en route to an 8-3 win at Los Angeles on Tuesday for its third consecutive victory. The Rangers, who pounded out 12 hits and stole six bases, have averaged 6.0 runs while winning eight of nine to move within a game of first-place Oakland, which has dropped five of six.

"It was quite exciting to be able to go out there and play the game we love to play," manager Ron Washington said. "It was a night when it all came together, but it's always been an emphasis. I call that winning baseball."

A winner in nine of 11 against the Angels (51-61) this season, Texas has batted .310 while averaging 7.3 runs during its six-game series winning streak. The Rangers have won three straight and six of seven at Anaheim dating to last season.

With Nelson Cruz suspended 50 games for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, Beltre appears capable of carrying the load for the Rangers at the plate. He's batted .417 (15 for 36) with nine RBIs in nine games, and .424 (14 for 33) with six RBIs in his last eight against the Angels.

Andrus is batting .412 with four RBIs while hitting safely in eight straight versus Los Angeles.

Scheduled Texas starter Alexi Ogando (4-3, 3.26 ERA) is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA in four starts against the Angels. He allowed four runs -- two earned -- in seven innings of a 5-4, 11-inning loss at Anaheim on April 23.

The right-hander, however, is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in three starts since he came off the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. He gave up three runs and walked five in four innings of an 8-3 win at Oakland on Friday.

"I just didn't feel good," Ogando told the Rangers' official website. "I didn't have my control like I normally do. It was just one of those nights."

Los Angeles' Mark Trumbo is 6 for 13 with three doubles versus Ogando, but 2 for 20 with nine strikeouts in the last five games overall.

Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout opened the first with back-to-back homers Tuesday for Los Angeles, which has lost three in a row and nine of 12.

"It seems like we're sliding back in some things that we need to get better at, and they're biting us," manager Mike Scioscia said. "And we're going to keep addressing it. We're going to get here early tomorrow, working on stuff. We talk about making adjustments every day, and they're coming too slowly for what we need."

With his home run, Trout set a club record for Angels outfielders by reaching base safely in 37 straight games.

However, ex-Ranger Josh Hamilton is 2 for 22 in the last six contests.

The Angels hand the ball to Tommy Hanson (4-2, 5.29), who has an 8.83 ERA without a record over his last four starts, the last three since spending almost a month on the DL with a forearm strain. He's yielded five runs in each of the last two, most recently in 5 1/3 innings of a 7-5 win over Toronto on Friday.

In his only previous start versus Texas, the right-hander allowed three runs -- including solo homers to Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland -- over six innings of an 8-4 win April 6.

Research Notes

Mike Trout is the first Angels player in franchise history to hit a home run on his birthday in consecutive years.

FROM ELIAS:
Mike Trout is the youngest player in MLB history to hit a home run on his birthday in consecutive years.
The only other player to homer on his birthday twice by his 22nd birthday was Buddy Lewis in 1936 and 1938.